Linville Gorge is one of my favorite places in the North Carolina Mountains. It's wilderness status, coupled with the ruggedness of its terrain, all but assure one can find solitude amongst its cliffs and coves. Little by little I am checking trails off my list to hike in Linville and on this day I had the unique opportunity to cross off a couple more. During my one-year stint with the U.S. Forest Service doing visitor survey work, I found that this day I would be stationed at the Cabin Trail parking area on the Gorge's west rim. Being an afternoon shift I figured by showing up early I'd have time to explore the five mile loop covered by the Cabin, Linville Gorge, and Bynum Bluff Trails in the northern reaches of the Gorge.

Arriving early my hike began by descending the Cabin Trail, one of the steepest in the gorge, descending some 1,000' to the Linville Gorge Trail at which point I'd turn north. The Linville Gorge Trail would then take me upstream for a couple miles, passing one really nice unnamed waterfall, before climbing steeply to the Bynum Bluff Trail. At the junction with the Bynum Bluff Trail, assuming I was still on schedule, I'd follow the side path downhill once again to the Linville River beneath the towering cliffs of Bynum Bluff itself. From there I'd make the demanding climb out from the gorge via the Bynum Bluff Trail, climbing 800'+, back to the road which I'd use to complete the loop back to the Cabin Trail.

The hike went off pretty much without a hitch, despite the fact that my knees had only barely recovered from my 18 mile South Beyond 6000 3-fer the week before. As with most of my West Rim hikes I didn't see a single person and I was able to 'discover' yet another unique corner of Linville Gorge. Come along and check out one of the best ways to kick off a work day that you can do...

I was tired, quite warm, and my knee from my epic hike in the Great Balsams the week prior was starting to stiffen up, but I was too close to the river end of the Bynum Bluff Trail not to make the side trip down for a look...

A break in the trees just before making the final drop to the river offered a unique view into the uppermost reaches of Linville Gorge. The gorge itself only officially begins about a mile-and-a-half upstream from here at the spectacular Linville Falls...

The clock was ticking as I started my way out of the gorge to get back to my worksite. The climb from the river back to the Linville Gorge Trail went quickly after my lengthy bit of R&R. Here, I pass the Pine Gap Trail which I would have loved to hike as well had time permitted me...

Of all the trails I've hiked into and out of Linville Gorge from its west rim, I'd have to say that Bynum Bluff was quite a bit less strenuous...of course, less strenuous in Linville Gorge means something quite different than most other areas...